


written in the stars, a million miles away

by notthebigspoon



Category: Baseball RPF, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-12
Updated: 2012-10-12
Packaged: 2017-11-16 04:32:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/535530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthebigspoon/pseuds/notthebigspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Um, Doc? I gave this girl a hug and she handed me this.”</p><p>	“She handed you a baby?”</p><p>	“Yeah. I um, I think I'm supposed to keep it.”</p><p>	“Oh dear.”</p><p>Title taken from Written in the Stars by Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner</p>
            </blockquote>





	written in the stars, a million miles away

“Um, Doc? I gave this girl a hug and she handed me this.”

“She handed you a baby?”

“Yeah. I um, I think I'm supposed to keep it.”

“Oh dear.”

This started, as things so often do, with a kiss. Sergio had had more than just a little to drink. He'd kissed a man with a big head and a bow tie on a dare, and the man had given him an amused smile and a hug. Only minutes later, the same man had grabbed Sergio's hand and ordered him to run. Generally, he would refrain from running off with a strange man, stranger danger and all, but since a giant salt shaker was screaming the word exterminate and blowing things up with lasers, Sergio decided to defer to apparent experience.

He doesn't run away from life. That wasn't why he decided to stay with the Doctor for a little while. It was just that saving the world from certain destruction puts some wanderlust in you. They were in the off season, he could afford to take a few weeks to run around.

Today, they've crash landed on a strange planet while attempting to track down Pancho Villa. Their destination, while unintended, is beautiful. It kind of reminded Sergio of the Emerald City of Oz, so much green and all sparkly. He'd been told to stay put until the Doctor could make sure that things were safe. Sergio had promptly gone out in search of trouble. It's a reflex, doing things the Doctor tells him not to. It always means something exciting happens.

Honestly, he'd only meant to comfort the girl. She'd been holding a baby, small and fragile and had been crying bitterly about the state of her life. Sergio had understood little of what she said, the words she used and the ways she used them meaningless to him. Cultural differences, he'd supposed. That's been one of his favorite things about traveling with the Doctor, so many different experiences. He learned his lesson this time though. He'd given the girl a hug and told her everything was going to be okay. She'd abruptly stopped crying and given him a thoughtful, wide eyed look. The next he knew, she was pushing the baby into his arms, then running down the street as fast as she could.

Sergio had stared at the baby helplessly before hurrying back to the TARDIS, yelling for the Doctor the moment he came through the door.

Now, after explaining himself and hunting out a blanket and a bottle, he and the Doctor are sitting side by side, cross legged on the control room floor. The baby is sitting up, happy as a clam while he drinks his bottle. He's a cute kid, dark eyes and dark hair. He looks a little like Sergio himself. Sergio chews on the pad of his thumb.

“I don't... I was just trying to make her feel better.” He says helplessly.

“As you do.” The Doctor answers dryly, but it's with as fond smile as he rubs Sergio's back for a moment before clapping his hands together. “Well. Suppose we'd best go and find out just what you've gotten yourself into with this young man.”

They spend the day scouring the city for the young woman who had handed Sergio her baby. The child clings to Sergio's neck, observing the world around him with wide eyes. Occasionally he'll stretch out a tiny arm and bubble out something that sounds like a question. Sergio figures it's alien baby speak for 'what's that?!' Some things Sergio recognizes and tries to explain. Others, he shrugs and waves a hand at the Doctor, who generally appears to be oblivious to them.

He grows hungry soon enough and he starts looking for something to eat when a strange thing happens. There's a loud clang of bells and the streets clear, all the inhabitants disappearing into various buildings or down side streets into small shacks. Sergio worries his lip before trudging onward. The baby looks slightly distressed, one small hand tugging on Sergio's beard as he looks around helplessly. Maybe it's something to do with the bells and the emptying of the street. The child is young but children thrive on schedules and routine.

Sergio looks at the signboards hanging above the doors along the street. He spots one that's adorned with a plate and a mug and chooses it. He ducks inside to find it's a small cafe. He's urged to a seat by a harried looking women who thumps a goblet of something in front of Sergio's along with a smaller cup of green liquid that he doesn't recognize but the baby reaches for.

She returns minutes later with a small electronic device that is entirely at odds with the village like appearance of the rest of the city. She works her way around the rest of the room, pressing the arc end against the wrists of the other patrons. She reaches Sergio and scans the child first. It beeps as it had with the others. When she presses it to Sergio's wrist, however, it remains silent. She frowns at him and tries again to no avail.

“Your count meter isn't functioning. I need your citizen ID number.” She snaps, as if Sergio is somehow causing her a huge inconvenience. Maybe he is. He doesn't know.

“I uh... I have an appointment. To get the meter fixed.” Sergio lies uncertainly. She gives him a look. He gulps and reels off his social security number before gulping from the goblet. The liquid is fruity and fizzy.

The waitress sighs and scribbles it down, mumbling about end of the day paperwork and what a waste paper is. It seems to satisfy the need though. She takes his order before disappearing again.

The bells chime again while he eats a simple plate of cheese and bread dipped in something that might be olive oil. A look out the window shows the streets filling again. He spots the Doctor among the crowd and thumps on the window before waving in a bid for his attention. The Doctor looks relieved, rushing in and landing in the seat across from Sergio with a whoosh of breath. In an instant, though, his relief twists into intense concern.

“I believe we have a problem.”

“Please don't say that Doc. Every time you say that...” Sergio shakes his head, struck with more than one unpleasant memory. The Doctor looks apologetic.

“I found, somewhat, the young lady the boy belongs to.”

“Isn't that a good thing?”

“Ah, no. Idyllic though this place may look, I've discovered something rather unpleasant.” The Doctor hesitates, eying Sergio.

Sergio groans, exasperated by the reticence. “Just let it out already! What. Is. The. Problem?”

“The boy is supposed to be killed. They're experiencing overpopulation and a food shortage. They've started an elimination program. This lad is the last of the children. His mother managed to hide him. I supposed that she viewed you as a means to save him.”

“She won't take him back? Can't you do something to help?”

“Sergio. She _can't_ take him back.” The Doctor's face turns gentle and Sergio feels as if ice is pooling in his gut. He knows what that looks means. He wants to beg the Doctor not to say it, because if he doesn't say it, then that means that it didn't really happen. That there's nothing bad in the world. “She was part of the program. She let them take her so he wouldn't be found.”

It's not fair and Sergio can't help but feel responsible. Like maybe if he'd left her alone, she would still have her son and she would still be alive. He stares at the plate in front of him, blinking hard but there's no stopping the tears. He wipes his hand over his face before pressing it against his eyes, stifling a sob when the baby starts to pat his cheek, making a noise as if he's wondering what's wrong and how to fix it. It makes Sergio cry harder. He's the reason the boy no longer has a mother.

“I know what you're thinking. And that isn't at all the state of affairs.” The Doctor says softly, reaching out and touching Sergio's free hand before lacing their fingers together and squeezing. “If it weren't for you, the boy would be dead as well. It was a fortunate thing, your kindness to the girl. And you'd do it again. Will do it again, because you can't bear to see the world hurting. It's a gift. A rare one, a hurtful one at times, but still a gift.”

It doesn't feel like a gift. He can't get over the guilt. Sergio stands, leaves without a word, trusting the Doctor to get the bill. He trudges through the streets, tries to remember where they left the TARDIS. It's hard, because all he can see is the girls face, the relief in it. She must have already known what her fate would be and it didn't matter to her because her son would survive. He wonders what she must have seen in him that made her trust him with something so clearly precious and dear.

“I'm going to get you out of here. I'm going to keep you safe.” He whispers it into the child's hair. The baby coos.

Sergio finds the TARDIS accidentally. He must have been navigating the streets on autopilot. He locks the door behind him and goes to the kitchen, fetching a bottle before making his way to the library. He grabs a book and parks himself in a chair, reading out loud until his eyes start to droop. The day is catching up to him. He falls asleep curled up in the chair, arms wrapped around a child that a mother had given her own life to save.

The library is rumbling when he wakes up. He nearly falls out of his chair trying to stand. Getting to the control room is hazardous, the hallway rocking and shaking beneath him. He makes it there just as the Doctor springs through the door of the TARDIS, throwing switches and studiously ignoring Sergio's demand to know what's going on. He doesn't speak until the TARDIS steadies, collapsing into the jump seat and wiping his forehead.

“Well. That's that.”

“What _was_ that?” Sergio asks. He hands the baby to the Doctor, shaking out an aching arm that he'd banged into the guard rails. “What did you do?”

“Started a revolution.” The Doctor sounds rather pleased with himself. Things got a bit hairy but I think they'll be just fine. A brave new world.”

“You start a revolution and then you just leave?” Sergio asks blankly. “But the people. The _kids_.”

“There were few children left and their parents took charge of the government. They'll be fine.” The Doctor answers gently. Sergio bites his lip hard and nods, looking away, consumed again by the thought of all the children that must already have died. The baby's mother as well.

He wipes his eyes, looks back at the Doctor. “I think it's time for me to go home.”

There's disappointment in the Doctor's eyes but he doesn't look at all surprised. Just nods and gets up, pushing and turning the controls, tuning them to Earth. They've been gone a few months TARDIS time and the Doctor promises to get him back before spring training. Sergio has to admit he's surprised that they actually land in San Francisco, a couple weeks prior to the date he's scheduled to report. The first thing he does is buy a newspaper and check is phone to make sure. He's got countless messages that he has to go through and it's a few hours before he finishes. He looks up from his phone, stares around the TARDIS.

He's spent a happy few months here, even with the interspersing tragedy that came a long with it. He's been to fantastic places, met amazing people. It's been worth it for the experiences. He's never felt so connected with his own humanity. He takes a breath, forces himself not to cry and scoops the baby up, kisses his cheek. The Doctor comes from beneath the stairs, leans against them and watches Sergio.

“You're taking him with you.” It isn't a question.

“He doesn't have a home anymore. And... she wanted me to take care of him. She trusted me.” Sergio answers softly as he heads for the door. 

The Doctor smiles like he expected nothing less. He hands him a folder. “Everything you need for the existence of one Rafael Romo.”

“Rafael?”

“It's a good name.”

“It is...” Sergio answers, eying Rafael. He kisses the boy's cheek and Rafael beams at him. He feels, for the first time, like he's really making the right decision. He looks up at the Doctor. “I'm going to miss you. You showed me so much. It's... even at the last, it's been amazing.”

“I'll miss you. And who knows, might see me again, maybe with a different face.” The Doctor answers. He hugs Sergio, kisses his cheek before stepping back. “Well. Goodbye, Sergio Romo. It's been grand.”

“Goodbye Doctor.”

Sergio walks out of the TARDIS without looking back, keeps walking down the sidewalk until he hears the sound of her engines. He feels a pang of loneliness when the sound fades away, finding himself already missing the Doctor. But then he looks at Rafael and flags down a cab, climbing into the back and giving the driver his address before slouching back, holding Rafael close.

“I'm back, San Francisco. Did you miss me?” He whispers quietly, looking out the window and watching the city flash by. Rafael gives him a curious look before patting his cheek. Sergio smiles at him. Rafael smiles back and finally, Sergio feels like he's home.


End file.
